Lead Industrial Designer

Kohler Co. • Kohler, WI

4d • Onsite

About The Position

Within the Industrial Design Team, you’ll work at the leading edge of innovation, exploring temperature variation, the soothing power of water, and multisensory experiences that calm, invigorate, and inspire. As a Lead Designer, you will play a critical leadership role within the New Product Development (NPD) community for Bathing, Showering, and Wellness Fixtures. You’ll lead complex design initiatives from early concept through implementation, shaping not just what we make, but how we think about our brand. You’ll balance creative vision with strategic thinking, collaborating across engineering, marketing, manufacturing, and beyond to deliver inspired, feasible, and market ‑ ready solutions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Industrial Design (or related field) from an accredited institution.
• Typically has 6 to 10 years of experience
• A bias for action, comfort with ambiguity, and openness to pivot as market dynamics evolve.
• A collaborative mindset and willingness to jump in wherever needed to move the business forward.
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the US without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

• Passion for helping people live gracious, healthy, and sustainable lives, experience in wellness-focused products or environments is a strong plus.
• Startup or zero‑to‑one product experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and own large-scale and/or complex design projects from concept generation through implementation.
• Champion design excellence by guiding problem-solving exercises, ideation sessions, and critiques with Industrial Design partners and cross-functional teams.
• Translate ideas into reality through sketching, CAD, and high-fidelity mockups, ensuring exceptional attention to detail at every stage.
• Develop and present compelling product strategies and design narratives that deliver competitive and financial advantage.
• Build deep insight into socioeconomic trends, technology, interiors, and the wellness industry, applying learnings to product strategy and innovation.
• Define the target consumer for each product category and channel, ensuring design decisions resonate with the intended audience.
• Serve as a subject-matter expert in the Wellness category, executing design research, concept development, physical modeling, and storytelling.
• Partner closely with Engineering, Marketing, Purchasing, and Manufacturing to align design intent with business realities and operational excellence.
• Continuously explore and evolve model-making and presentation techniques to support speed, cost, and impact.
• Maintain awareness of consumer expectations, competitor offerings, and global design trends across U.S. and international markets.

Benefits

• Day 1 benefits
• Access to applicable benefit programs from your first day on the job, with no waiting period.
• Competitive total rewards package to support your health and wellbeing
• Access to career growth and development opportunities
• A diverse and inclusive workplace
• A strong culture of innovation

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior